Inclusive or Exclusive Church

It seems that we  live in a very judgemental age. We only have to look at some of the comments on social media to see this. Everyone seems to have an option about everything else. This week for example there has been a back lash about the New Doctor who being a woman. Weather we agree with the choice or not we should never be unkind in our natural judgements about any given situation or person. Some people just think that they are being clever or witty where in fact they are being dis respectful and hurtful. 

This judgemental attitude can also be very strong in the Church. It can happen in all different ways. By the way someones liturgical or spiritual preference by what they do at Mass the way they are with others. There are those people who walk around doing a very good impersonation of a lemon. Pope Francis in one of his most memorial press conferences when asked about Homosexuality this is what he said: ”On that occasion I said this: If a person is gay and seeks out the Lord and is willing, who am I to judge that person?" the pope says. "I was paraphrasing by heart the Catechism of the Catholic Church where it says that these people should be treated with delicacy and not be marginalised.”

The Church is not exclusive for those who judge themselves as good enough. It is inclusive the grace and love of God the Church is for everyone no matter who you are no matter what road you walk down it is a place for you to be and feel at home. Someone once told me that they were not good enough to come to Church in which I replied neither am I and thats why I am here.  On the other hand people feel that we are there to judge all the time. Yesterday I was on the Bus coming back from the hospital visits when I over heard a Child ask their mother “ whose that” I realised that she was pointing at me. The mother replied “ thats a priest and he tells people off for a living.” I did not respond but I thought to myself how sad that this is some peoples image of the Church and of God  and also of what we are all about. Then I realised that this is not uncommon especially among those who come to Church every week. We are not in the business of telling people off we are inclusive of all people we are made up of saints and sinners who try their best to follow the Lord in their own lives.

Part of this is to make the Church everyones home to be open. One of the other things that Pope Francis said is to have the Church doors open. This does not always mean the physical opening of the doors of the Church but also a people that are open and welcoming. Not to judge but, to accept and smile and be open to all people. This is a challenge for everyone. An inclusive Church means that we all need to do a bit of soul searching on where we have not been able to welcome where we have not been open to the stranger or someone different to us. Remember the parable of the Mustard seed. The tree grows to maturity in time its branches are strong enough to welcome the stranger. As Church we need to be that tree strong enough to hold all who seek a home. It starts with the individual seed being open to growth and non judgemental at those who seek its refuge.